Thursday, September 27, 2007

Roughead Confirmation Hearing

I can't find it anywhere!!!! Not on CSpan, not on the Pentagon Channel!! I am very frustrated! This was in Navy Times.

Roughead appears in CNO confirmation hearing
By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writerPosted : Thursday Sep 27, 2007 11:58:02 EDT
Senators questioned Adm. Gary Roughead about the 313-ship shipbuilding program and new U.S. maritime strategy Thursday at his confirmation hearing to become the next chief of naval operations.
Roughead said he supported the shipbuilding plan, but he called it just a “floor” for future fleet acquisitions.
He said that in the future, the Navy needs to “increase its ability to operate in green water,” close to shore.
On that point, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, asked Roughead about the Littoral Combat Ship program, which has experienced problems and schedule delays. Roughead said he strongly supports the new class, and that during his time as the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, he could have used the ships to conduct more missions. He said the LCS provides the Navy with a “new way of taking on threats we anticipate in the future. We need it quickly.”
He said the Navy needs to purchase all 55 ships in the current shipbuilding plan over the next decade.
When asked about placement of aircraft carriers on the East Coast, Roughead hesitated to say where an additional carrier should be homeported, but he noted the ongoing environmental impact statement inquiry at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. He said he thought the Navy should conduct an Atlantic Coast posture review to evaluate the Navy’s East Coast carrier-basing needs

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